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Rep. Black Calls Out President Obama’s Keystone Excuses on the House Floor

February 11, 2015

Press Release

Click the image above for video of Rep. Black's remarks

Washington, D.C. – Today Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) spoke on the House floor in support of S. 1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act. This legislation contains both the previously House-passed Keystone XL authorization and amendments from the bill’s recent passage in the U.S. Senate. Pending today’s vote, S. 1 will immediately be sent to the President’s desk for consideration.

In her remarks, Congressman Black called out the President’s excuses for continuing to stonewall completion of the Keystone XL Pipeline, noting that the project has been awaiting approval for more than 2,300 days and citing a state department study which found that the project would create an estimated 42,100 jobs while imposing a “negligible” environmental impact. A transcript of Rep. Black’s speech is provided below or click here for a video.

Mister Speaker, in the President’s State of the Union address, he declared the need for “21st century infrastructure.” With today’s legislation to complete the Keystone XL Pipeline, we are offering him an infrastructure bill that would create jobs and promote energy security.

In fact, this study from the President’s own State Department says Keystone will create about 42,000 jobs and generate $2 billion in earnings – all while imposing a negligible environmental impact.

This project has been awaiting approval for more than 2,300 days. The Nebraska Supreme Court struck down the challenge against it, 58 percent of Americans said they support it, and a bipartisan majority in both chambers of Congress approved it.

I urge the President to listen to the will of his constituents and, if nothing else, maybe read the reports from his own Administration.

The excuses have run out. It’s time to build.

I yield back.

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Congressman Diane Black represents Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District. She has been a registered nurse for more than 40 years and serves on the House Ways and Means and Budget Committees